Tortillas, Anyone?
I don’t know about you and yours, but in this house, we like tortillas. And I mean like tortillas.
If I want kids jumping up and down while screeching in delight, all I have to do is casually mention that we’ll need tortillas made for supper. Whether it’s tacos, fajitas, enchiladas, or burritos, those tortillas are always a big hit.
In fact, with how much Tim and the kids (and I) love tortilla-based meals, you’d think he had Spanish roots instead of Italian.
We started out always buying our tortillas, because making them seemed too daunting. While we really enjoyed fresh tortillas when we went out for Mexican food, it made my eyes cross and my brain itch to even think about making them.
Then, health problems started pushing us to switch from buying everything to trying to make more food from scratch—especially things like bread and tortillas.
Bread felt like the easier place to start, but one can only go so long without tacos or fajitas. Right?
So I went hunting and digging and found a tortilla recipe that I decided I’d try. I gathered the ingredients—and my courage—and dove in.
While the recipe wasn’t difficult, I worried the whole time that it wouldn’t work. And talk about time-consuming!
Mixing the dough was easy; separating it into portions was trickier. Letting them sit, covered, for an hour or so was simple, but I stressed about them the whole time.
The hardest part by far was rolling them out and frying them up. That first batch took over an hour—maybe two—before they were even ready to eat!
Were they worth the hassle?
Yes, definitely.
One thing I struggle with is the temptation to balk at trying anything new. And for whatever reason, tortillas just seemed like one of those things.
Now? Tortillas feel like one of the easiest things to make. Funny how it works like that, isn’t it?
Except… I hardly ever have to make them anymore.
Alayna, our oldest daughter, has done her best to establish herself as the “bread-maker” of the family. Whether it’s sandwich bread, hamburger buns, or tortillas, she practically begs to be the one to make them.
She’s pretty pleased with herself for being able to make tortillas from memory now—and I’d say that’s not bad at all for an 8-year-old!
I still do all the rolling myself. Micah and Alayna have both tried, but between not enough height and not enough upper arm strength, it just works better if I handle that part for now.
They do, however, claim the job of frying the tortillas—and they do a pretty good job of turning out lightly browned deliciousness every time.
What happens to leftover tortillas, you ask?
Well, they rarely get left. But when they do, one of two things happens:
Either the kids decide they want a snack and clamor to eat them plain, or Tim gleefully makes himself a cheesy quesadilla.
Either way, tortillas around here have a short life—but one joyfully dedicated to making our family happy and full.
Our Go-To Tortilla Recipe
I don’t remember where I found this recipe, but it’s become a staple in our home. One batch never cuts it for us, but it’s a great place to start!
Ingredients:
- 3 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup warm water
- 1/3 cup lard (or oil or butter)
Instructions:
- Mix the dry ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer or by hand.
- Add the water and lard, and mix until well combined.
- Knead (in the mixer or by hand) for at least 5–7 minutes—longer kneading makes better tortillas.
- Divide dough into 8 equal pieces. Flatten slightly on a lightly floured surface.
- Cover and let rest at least 15 minutes or up to 2 hours.
- Roll out each piece on a floured surface.
- Fry in a dry skillet on medium to medium-high heat until bubbles form and the underside has golden-brown spots. Flip and cook the second side (it takes less time than the first—usually about 30 seconds).
- Keep warm in a low oven (we use the “Warm” setting) on a cookie sheet until ready to eat.
Bringing Life 
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